Pokemon Sapphire Version - Hidden Power FAQ

~!@#$%^&*()_+~!@#$%^&*()_+~!@#$%^&*()_+
~ a_v's Hidden Power Guide +
~!@#$%^&*()_+~!@#$%^&*()_+~!@#$%^&*()_+
Hidden Power Guide V1.2
Guide started: 12/9/2004
Update: 3/19/2005
Update 1.2:
-Added "common questions" section.
-Fixed the accents on the "e"s in "Pok┐mon"
Contents and Quick Reference:
_____________________________________________
| Introduction | a1 |
_____________________________________________
| Hidden Power Basics | a2 |
_____________________________________________
| In-Game Hidden Power | a3 |
_____________________________________________
| Hidden Power in Competitive Play | a4 |
_____________________________________________
| The Hidden Power Formula | a5 |
_____________________________________________
| Common Questions | a6 |
_____________________________________________
| Closing | a7 |
_____________________________________________
Just use Ctrl+F to jump to a section. For example,
to jump to "In-Game Hidden Power", press Ctrl+F,
and enter a3.
=====================
= a1 - Introduction =
=====================
Hello and welcome to my Hidden Power Guide. In this
guide I will cover just about everything there is to
cover on the subject of Hidden Power. Uses in-game,
where to find it in-game, and what to aim for in
terms of base power. Uses in competitive play,
standard movesets that involve Hidden Power, and DVs
needed to get the desired Hidden Power. The Hidden
Power formula. How to deduce the type and power of
a pok┐mon's Hidden Power using it's DVs.
============================
= a2 - Hidden Power Basics =
============================
To get us started let's look at the basics behind
this mysterious attack:
________________________________________________________
|Attack Name| Hidden Power |
--------------------------------------------------------
|Attack Type| Normal |
--------------------------------------------------------
|Max PP | 15 - 24 |
--------------------------------------------------------
|Accuracy | 100 |
--------------------------------------------------------
|Power | --- |
--------------------------------------------------------
|Description| "The effectiveness varies with the user."|
________________________________________________________
So we can see that this is quite an imprecise attack, so
let me explain the basics. This is a very random move that
varies between different pok┐mon. The base Power can be
anything from 30 to 70, and the type can be anything
except normal. What determines the type and Power of your
Pok┐mon's Hidden Power are it's Diversification Values, or
DVs. These will be explained later on.
=============================
= a3 - In-Game Hidden Power =
=============================
So what use does Hidden Power serve in-game? Well unless
you're an expert pok┐mon breeder, or very lucky at getting
good DVs, not much. Your chances of getting a good Hidden
Power on a good pok┐mon are pretty slim, which can make
some pok┐mon useless in-game. (Jolteon and Magneton come
to mind. They need Hidden Power to be effective, which will
be established later.)
If you want to use Hidden Power on an in-game pok┐mon for
whatever reason (to fill a move slot or just for fun), there
are a few ways you can obtain the TM.
Slateport Market: In the lowest occupied stall on the right,
there is an old lady selling TM 10, Hidden Power, and TM 43,
Secret Power, for P3000 each.
Fortree City: In the second house along the top, there is
another old lady with one free Hidden Power TM.
Fire Red/Leaf Green Pickup: Occasionally in Fire Red and
Leaf Green, a pok┐mon with the Pickup ability will find a
TM 10.
Also note, Meditite, Medicham and Unown learn Hidden Power
without a TM, while Magikarp, Ditto, Beldum, Wynaut,
Wobbuffet, Caterpie, Metapod, Weedle, Kakuna, Wurmple, Silcoon
and Cascoon can't learn it all.
So what power should you aim for? Well this varies a little,
depending how badly you need the type. If it's just for a
filler, around 60 base power would be good enough, while if
you desperatly need the type, you can go lower.
=========================================
= a4 - Hidden Power in Competitive Play =
=========================================
Hidden Power gets much more useful in online competitive play.
Why? For the simple fact that you have free control over your
pok┐mon's DVs. Because of this, Hidden Power is used in many
standard competitive movesets. It may be used for a move combo,
such as Hidden Power Ice to get the popular BoltBeam on Jolteon.
(BoltBeam is just Ice Beam and Thunderbolt on one pok┐mon, to
cover many types.) Another type of move combo can include a
weather effect. Prime example is a Sunny Day/Hidden Power Fire
Exeggutor. It can also be used for a more powerful STABbed move
option, such as Hidden Power Flying Salamence (Hidden Power
Flying is stronger than Aerial Ace). Or a more accurate option.
Most commonly Hidden Power Rock because you are only trading 5
power for 10% more accuracy. And finally, Hidden Power would
be used because the pok┐mon using it has a very limited movepool.
Arcanine and Gyarados are good examples.
DVs to yield Hidden Power:
(this goes by HP/ATK/DEF/SPD/S.A/S.D)
Fire:
31/30/31/30/30/31
31/31/30/30/30/31
Water:
31/31/31/30/30/31
Grass:
31/30/31/31/30/31
31/31/30/31/30/31
30/31/31/31/30/31
Electric:
31/31/31/31/30/31
31/30/30/30/31/31
30/31/30/30/31/31
Ice:
31/31/31/30/31/31
31/30/30/31/31/31
Fighting:
31/31/30/30/30/30
30/30/31/30/30/30
30/30/30/30/30/30
31/30/30/30/30/30
30/31/30/30/30/30
Poison:
31/31/30/31/30/30
Ground:
31/31/31/31/30/30
30/30/30/30/31/30
Flying:
31/31/31/30/30/30
30/30/30/31/30/30
Psychic:
31/30/31/30/31/31
31/31/30/30/31/31
30/31/31/30/31/31
Bug:
31/31/31/30/31/30
31/30/30/31/31/30
Rock:
31/31/30/30/31/30
30/30/31/30/31/30
Ghost:
31/31/30/31/31/30
31/30/31/31/31/30
Dragon:
31/30/31/31/31/31
31/31/30/31/31/31
30/31/31/31/31/31
Dark:
31/31/31/31/31/31
Steel:
31/31/31/31/31/30
30/30/30/30/30/31
In each situation, determine which set of DVs would most
benifit your pok┐mon.
=================================
= a5 - The Hidden Power Formula =
=================================
And now I shall discuss what determines everything about
Hidden Power. There are 2 farily simple formulas that
decide your Hidden Power's type and the power. I'll start
with the formula that decides the power:
*********************
* The power formula *
*********************
Here is the basic equation:
int ( ( A + B + C + D + E + F ) * 40 / 63 + 30 )
'int' basically means round down the awnser, so if the awnser
was, say, 64.827364, then the awnser would be 64.
A,B,C,D,E,F stand for the values your HP, ATK, DEF, SPD,
S.A and S.D DVs give respectively. Here are the values your
DVs can return:
HP : Returns 1 if the DV, divided by 4, has a remainder of 2 or 3
ATK: Returns 2 if the DV, divided by 4, has a remainder of 2 or 3
DEF: Returns 4 if the DV, divided by 4, has a remainder of 2 or 3
SPD: Returns 8 if the DV, divided by 4, has a remainder of 2 or 3
S.A: Returns 16 if the DV, divided by 4, has a remainder of 2 or 3
S.D: Returns 32 if the DV, divided by 4, has a remainder of 2 or 3
If the DV divided by 4 does not have a remainder of 2 or 3, the
DV returns a value of 0.
For a practical example, I shall use the DVs 24/31/06/25/17/19.
Starting with the HP. 24 divided by 4 is an even 6-no reminder,
so A returns 0. The ATK DV. 31 divided by 4 is 7 with a remainder
of 3, so B returns 2. The DEF DV. 6 divided by 4 is 1 with 2
remainder, so C returns 4. The SPD DV. 25 divided by 4 is 6
remainder 1, so D returns 0. The S.A DV. 17 divided by 4 is 4
remainder 1, so E returns 0. The S.D DV. 19 divided by 4 is 4
remainder 3, so F returns 32.
So the power of this Hidden Power is:
int ( ( 0 + 2 + 4 + 0 + 0 + 32 ) * 40 / 63 + 30 )
*We'll just ignore the int for now. Make sure you know BODMAS ;)
(38) * 40 / 63 + 30
(38) * .634921 + 30
24.126998 +30
54.126998
int(54.126998) = 54
So the power of this Hidden Power is 54. Now onto the type.
********************
* The type formula *
********************
The type formula follows a similar basis. Here it is:
int ( ( A + B + C + D + E + F ) * 15 / 63 )
Same deal with the A, B, C, D, E and F. They return different
values defending on the DV.
HP : Returns 1 if DV is odd
ATK: Returns 2 if DV is odd
DEF: Returns 4 if DV is odd
SPD: Returns 8 if DV is odd
S.A: Returns 16 if DV is odd
S.D: Returns 32 if DV is odd
So hopefully you can deduce that if the DV is even, it returns 0.
We'll use the same DVs in this example again.
The HP DV. 24 is even, so A returns 0. The ATK DV. 31 is odd,
so B returns 2. The DEF DV. 6 is even, so C returns 0.The
SPD DV. 25 is odd, so D returns 8.The S.A DV. 17 is odd, so
E returns 16. And finally, the S.D DV. 19 is odd, so F returns 32.
Now back to the formula:
int ( ( 0 + 2 + 0 + 8 + 16 + 32 ) * 15 / 63 )
(58) * 15 / 63
58 * .238095
13.80851
int(13.80851) = 13
So for our type, we have a value of 13. Each value has a
corresponding type. Here's the list:
____________________
| Value | Type |
-------------------|
| 0 | Fighting |
-------------------|
| 1 | Flying |
-------------------|
| 2 | Poison |
-------------------|
| 3 | Ground |
-------------------|
| 4 | Rock |
-------------------|
| 5 | Bug |
-------------------|
| 6 | Ghost |
-------------------|
| 7 | Steel |
-------------------|
| 8 | Fire |
-------------------|
| 9 | Water |
-------------------|
| 10 | Grass |
-------------------|
| 11 | Electric |
-------------------|
| 12 | Psychic |
-------------------|
| 13 | Ice |
-------------------|
| 14 | Dragon |
-------------------|
| 15 | Dark |
____________________
So now we can see that the type is Ice.
=========================
= a6 - Common Questions =
=========================
Here are some questions I've seen asked about Hidden Power that
aren't awnsered anywhere alse in this guide.
Q: ...when you teach it to a Pokemon, and it goes up a level, does
the power and type of his hidden power change too, since his stats
just changed? Or does his hidden power always stay the same as when
you taught it to him?
A: The Hidden Power will never change. It is based entirely on the Pok┐mon's
DVs, which never change.
Q: I used hidden power grass against a Blastoise, and it used Mirror Coat,
yet it could not counter the hidden power.
A: Although the stat that determines how powerful the Hidden Power will be,
(attack or special attack), it is registered as a normal attack, which is always
Countered.
Q: On HP moves (hidden power) can they have the added effects? Like HP electric
paralyze and HP fire burn?
A: Hidden Power does not have any added effects.
================
= a7 - Closing =
================
In closing I would like to say that I had as much
fun writing this guide as you did reading it. X)
This guide was made with information readily available
on the internet. I hope you now have a better idea of
how Hidden Power works and why it graces the pok┐mon
world. Special thanks must go to IGN's pok┐mon board,
they were a great help ;)
This guide is ┐2004 by albino_vulpix ;)
Illegal copying is a nono :p. You can use it for any
purpose and distribute as you please, as long as it
remaind unmodified, and you don't make any profit.
Ask permission if you're using for public use.
Feel free to contact me with questions, comments or
complaints ;)